How do Messi and Ronaldo’s salaries compare to basketball and baseball stars?

There seems to be no doubt that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the best footballers of all time, surpassing their time. The salaries and allowances that these two superstars in football history are receiving, even at the end of their careers, are much higher than the rest. But as Agnelli said, no amount of money is really enough for the best!

Well, this is a comparison with footballers. In America, where the dollar is the most popular, how do Messi-Ronaldo’s income compare to the big stars of the ‘moneyed’ leagues like the NFL (American football), NBA (basketball) or MLB (baseball)?

Let’s open the accounting book for a moment.

Ronaldo-Messi’s sky-high income

The Saudi Pro League project that Ronaldo has signed up for is like a money mine. The Portuguese forward earns $225 million a year for playing for Al Nasr. If we look at this calculation given by The Athletic a little differently, more than $7 is going into Ronaldo’s pocket every second! No other athlete in the world comes close to this incredible figure.

On the other hand, Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas confirmed that Messi’s annual income, including bonuses and perks, is around $70 to $80 million. In Miami’s eyes, he is ‘worth every penny’.

American Football (NFL)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is the leading earner in American football. He has signed a four-year contract worth $240 million in 2024. That’s $60 million annually. Still, less than Messi, only a quarter of Ronaldo’s income!

The NFL has a salary cap, which is determined by the league’s total revenue. This cap has increased every season for the past three decades. However, Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated says that with the way quarterback salaries are rising, Prescott’s top spot won’t last long. Few people consider him to be the best at the position anyway.

Basketball: (NBA)

Stephen Curry is a name of revolution on the basketball court. The Golden State Warriors star will earn $59.6 million in the 2025-26 season. The future Hall of Famer Curry has changed basketball so much that even football coaches like Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta cite him as an example.

The NBA’s most valuable player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, will receive an average of $68.3 million annually under his latest contract. Still, this figure is less than Messi’s salary. He will not be compared to Ronaldo.

Baseball: (MLB)

There is no salary cap in baseball. Still, Major League Baseball stars are not able to come close to the top two in football. Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker’s annual income is $57.1 million.

The story of Shohei Ohtani of the same team is a little different. Before the 2024 season, he signed a 10-year, $700 million contract, which was initially announced as a world record. However, there is a big twist in that contract. He will only receive $2 million a year for 10 years of playing! And the remaining $680 million will be received between 2034 and 2043. On paper, his average annual income is estimated at $46.1 million. In other words, this ‘poster boy’ of baseball is not even close to Ronaldo, he is far behind Messi.

How are Messi and Ronaldo’s salaries compared to basketball and baseball stars?